Is Agbo herbal mixture good for pregnant women? This article analysis the effects and safety of agbo jedi jedi in pregnancy.
Herbal medicine or alternative medicine or herbs or herbal mixture is known as agbo, agbo jedi jedi, or agbo herbal mixture in Yoruba language.
It is no longer news that quite a number of Nigerians patronise herbal medicine and other forms of herbal concoctions. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that about 4 billion people, 80% of the world population presently use herbal concoctions in one form or the other.
The World Health Organization supports the use of agbo provided they are proven to be efficacious and safe. In Nigeria, the persons who hawk agbo will tell you sweet stories about how their herbal mixture cures all ailments and how it helps pregnant women sail through delivery safely without stress with no comments of their safety.
Now here lies the problem. A very significant chunk of agbo herbal mixture are not safe. This is because there are no dosages, the ingredients are not documented, their side effects are unknown and their effect on pregnancy are always not stated or at best unknown.
Now to the main topic of this article:
Is Agbo herbal mixture good for pregnant women?
Many women have always asked me about the safety of agbo in pregnancy and if they can take it while pregnant. I have come to realise that most pregnant women are under pressure from friends and family members to try one agbo herbs or the other. My answer to them is CAPITAL NO. Agbo jedi is very unsafe in pregnancy and all pregnant women should avoid it because of the following reasons.
SIDE EFFECTS OF AGBO HERBAL MIXTURE IN PREGNANCY
1. Agbo can cause miscarriage
Agbo herbal mixtures have almost always have recipes that can trigger contraction in pregnancy and cause miscarrige or premature delivery. For example alligator pepper (uda), and pawpaw leaves(seeds) which are key components of herbal concoctions have been shown to cause pregnancy loss.
2. Agbo can cause birth defects.
A typical example of a herb that have been thoroughly researched to cause birth defects is moringa. Consumption of Moringa oleifera leaves during pregnancy could cause congenital deformities, a recent study published in the Italian Journal of Anatomy And Embryology in 2019 had found. The study warned that the consumption of Moringa oleifera otherwise known as “moringa” could affect the body, brain and cerebral of newborns.
3. Agbo can cause liver damage
The liver is overworked during pregnancy and taking agbo further stresses it and can lead to liver failure. How could something natural be bad for your liver you will say? In fact, some common herbs could cause toxic liver disease. Watch out for supplements that contain aloe vera, black cohosh, cascara, chaparral, comfrey, ephedra, or kava – they harm the liver.
4. Agbo can cause kidney failure
Use of herbal supplements is often unsafe if you have kidney disease or pregnant since some herbal products can cause harm to your kidneys and even make your kidney disease worse. Also, your kidneys cannot clear waste products that can build up in your body. Agbo herbal mixture may contain nephrotoxins or heavy metals that can damage the kidneys. An example of a herb that particularly affects the kidneys is turmeric. Kidney failure in pregnant women can lead to hypertension in pregnancy.
5. Stomach Ulcer
Agbo can be so concentrated and acidic that it can wear off the lining of the stomach leading to the development of stomach ulcer.
Others side effects of agbo herbal mixture in pregnancy are: nausea, vommiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pains, and many more.
©NIMEDHEALTH
